Job Description Ref no:

/ Role Profile
Job Title / Regional MarketPlace (Procurement) Manager, MENA
Directorate or Region / MENA / Department/Country / Regional Procurement, MENA
Location of posts / Based on either Bahrain or Sharjah, UAE / Pay Band / 8
Reports to / Regional Head of Procurement / Duration of job / Indefinite contract
Purpose of job:
To take full management responsibility and ensure compliance of British Council Operations at the MENA MarketPlaces, to be based in either Bahrain or Sharjah, UAE
Context and environment:
The British Council MENA is launching a new approach to procurement through centralising activity into 3 regional procurement centres – called MarketPlaces - to service the 17 countries in the region. The main objectives of the project are to deliver improved levels of compliance with the corporate procurement policy, including reduced risk of fraud; deliver efficiencies as we transition away from obtaining 2-3 quotes for most areas of spend, and migrate to tendered contracts, ideally covering multiple countries where operationally possible, which will deliver reduced average cost prices as well as freeing up resource across the region which can be redirected to alternative tasks.
Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:
Supplier contracts:
§  Support the delivery of the global category management approach in MENA
§  Support the implementation of global category contracts across the region and challenge the use of other suppliers to ensure best value for money
§  For Regional and Local categories:
§  Review spend data analysis and prepare spend reports for countries managed through the MarketPlace. Work with other the other MarketPlace Manager to compile overall regional spend analysis
§  Advise which spend categories to tender and perform market analysis
§  Support country operational teams through the corporate procurement tender exercise
§  Review draft contracts to ensure the use of the standard British Council commercial terms and conditions in all MarketPlace transactions, and ensure necessary approvals are obtained in line with British Council delegated authorities
§  Identify and record lessons learned post each tender exercise and ensure actions are fed into new tender processes to deliver continual improvement
§  Ensure that corporate procurement policy is implemented in the respective MarketPlaces
New vendors & master data
§  Approve country requests to set up new vendors (prior to the request being sent to the SSC) by assessing against existing Preferred Supplier List and challenge the new vendor set up where a suitable vendor already exists
§  Ensure that master data for vendors, material groups, purchasing groups and SAP users are regularly reviewed and updated
§  Ensure contracts database is up to date
Supplier management process
§  Develop a qualitative and quantitative measurement and feedback system for vendors, and ensure quarterly reporting to support the Contract relationship Manager’s quarterly meetings with key vendors
§  Perform quarterly supplier surveys and communicate findings
§  Conduct half yearly value for money reviews and implement improvements
Procurement administration
§  Review weekly late PO reports, produced by Procurement Advisors, and discuss issues on non compliance with CD
MarketPlace compliance and performance measurement
§  Monitor and ensure compliance of all MarketPlace activities with corporate policy and escalate issues if required
§  Hold accountability for SLA performance vis-à-vis countries services by the MarketPlace
§  Assist in peer review of other MarketPlace in MENA
Ad hoc
§  Deliver the implementation of agreed payment method changes
Line management
§  Perform line management duties for the relevant MarketPlace
Key relationships:
§  Regional Head of Procurement
§  Country managers in countries serviced by the relevant MarketPlace
§  Other Regional MarketPlace Managers in MENA and globally
§  Corporate Procurement
§  Key suppliers
Please specify any passport/visa and/or nationality requirement. / Must have the right to live and work in host country
There will be travel to countries in the region, and occasionally to the UK
Please indicate if any security or legal checks are required
for this role. / Criminal records check

Person Specification

Essential / Desirable / Assessment stage
Behaviours /

Being Accountable (Most demanding)

Connecting with Others (More demanding)

Working Together (More demanding)

Making it Happen (More demanding)

Creating Shared Purpose (More demanding)

Shaping the Future (Essential)

/ Interview
Skills and Knowledge /

§  Fluency in written and spoken English (Level B2)

§  Managing people: provides full line management to a team where all members are working in a similar area of expertise or business. Scope includes planning, setting objectives, role modelling an inclusive culture, recruitment, development and performance management
§  Leads larger projects: Analyses requirements with the sponsor/stakeholders, defining the specification, planning, revising, implementing and evaluating on small-to-medium scale and/or low risk projects for medium-to-large and/or high risk projects. Coordinates a diverse team with awareness of equality and diversity impact as part of the project specifications and handles changes in specification or plan to meet unexpected circumstances
§  Communicating & Influencing: Able to use a range of non-standard and creative approaches to inform, and persuade others, extending beyond logical argument to influence decisions and actions in a way which is inclusive and engaging.
§  Planning & organising: Develops and reviews the implementation of annual plans for a work group or function, taking account of business and customer requirements and reconciling competing demands.
§  Managing finance & resources: Monitors and controls an agreed budget within a defined area, producing reports and analyses and contributing to planning.
§  Managing risk: Has track record of analysing potential risks, promoting risk awareness, and holding others to account for their practices. / §  Operational use of P2P within SAP
§  Fluency in written and spoken Arabic (Level B2) / Short listing
and/or Interview
Experience /

Significant experience of managing a small team with procurement responsibilities

/ 8 years’ work experience in a relevant role / Short listing
and/or Interview
Qualifications / University degree or equivalent
Qualified member of a Professional Procurement Body, eg, CIPS or equivalent. Relevant experience within the British Council would also be considered / Short listing
Submitted by / Ally MacIndoe / Date / January 2016

1 of 4 Recruitment Team June 2011